I played with Fuzz! (and other used equipment)

I played a round of golf yesterday with Fuzz. Fuzz doesn’t look like he used to, but he was a good partner. I shot an 82 with him, yet he’s so unfazed by the triple-bogey and double-bogey that blighted my round that he’ll be back with me next time I play.

Fuzz is not Frank Urban Zoeller. Fuzz is the brand name of a golf ball that I’d never heard of until I found it in a ditch at Riverside Golf Course in San Antonio. Fuzz is yet another reason I’m able to Golf Like You’re Poor.

I can’t remember the last time I bought a golf ball. Seriously! I think it’s safe to say that since I had my college job as a cart jockey at Bear Creek Golf Course at DFW Airport about 25 years ago that I’ve probably bought just one box of balls. And I did that because the rag-tag collection of pellets I had in my golf bag would not have allowed me to follow the rules by playing a tournament round with the same make of ball.

It was that summer job, when I’d find balls left behind in carts and lost in bushes next to the practice range, that I gave my golf game a great gift -- a lifetime supply of golf balls!

Through my GLYP blog I always try to support my cheap ways by providing figures. The fact that I scoop up lost golf balls doesn’t save me much. If I found “recycled” golf balls on a retail website, I could pay $33 (not including shipping and taxes) for 60 Titleists on golfusedballs.com. If I play about 30 times a year and average the loss of two balls per round (that’s a high figure), I’d save that $33 list price by continuing to dig balls out of the ditch.

But I’ve learned that if used golf balls play quite well, wouldn’t other pieces of equipment? Yes! I bought my driver (Titleist 975L FE) used, and I hit a 322-yard drive with it -- and Fuzz -- yesterday. I bought my Adams 3-metal used, and it is a dependable club off the tee and off the deck. I’ve hit that thing as far as 270-yards off the tee, but mainly I have a consistent draw with it that finds the fairway. Both times I saved more than $100 -- bare minimum -- by buying used.

Here are some quick things, all common sense and nothing groundbreaking, to keep in mind while buying used clubs:* Every big-name retailer has a used club rack;* Auction sites and classified-ad sites (craigslist) sell golf equipment;* Lots of golf associations now offer a consignment area, so that’s a must-see when buying clubs;* Wherever you buy, always test the club (or at least have an easy out to return the club). Don’t buy it if you can’t test it.

The only thing I buy new is golf grips. I refuse to believe that the technology of this year is markedly better than last year, or five years ago. So I refuse to buy what is, for lack of real technological advances, a marketing gimmick given “legitimacy“ because someone on the PGA Tour is using it. Do you get paid to use your clubs? White-headed drivers? Please!

My blogs are listed here, and if you're interested in more stories you can go toTim Price Sports Books. There is also a Twitter account @golflikeurpoor. Enjoy the reading, and your golf, no matter if you're rich or poor.

So, I see Elk and the "The Big Show" are committed to play in San Antonio for the Champions Tour AT&T Championship. My advice, Elk, is that you beat Calc here, because he got a primo parking spot for his mammoth rig last year. The guys here looked like they were on a tarmac when Calc, caddy and dogs rolled into town.